Africa-Press – Botswana. Over 400 members of Botswana Defence Force (BDF) were, at Sir Seretse Khama Barracks yesterday, bestowed with medals in recognition of their service and conduct.
Colonel Thekegelo Gabofiwe said the award ceremony was decentralised, therefore it would be held in two parts with a similar ceremony scheduled for Francistown on April 25.
He also noted that other medal recipients were not present as they were on a tour of duty on border security, anti-poaching operations, SADC intervention in Mozambique and the United Nations stabilisation mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The awards were in the categories of Duty Code Order, Pearl Jubilee medal, Distinguished Service, Long Service, Foreign Service and Thebe ya Sechaba.
President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi posthumously bestowed the duo of Lance Corporal Obakeng Tlhaloganyo and Lance Corporal Zikamee Kamai with the Thebe ya Sechaba award.
The medals were received by family members.
Lance Corporal Kamai was deployed with the third contingent of the BDF under the auspices of the SADC mission in Mozambique.
He died at the Cabo Delgado Province in Mozambique on November 29, 2022 while on patrol.
President Masisi awarded the Duty Code Order medal to members of the BDF administration and technical staff for their devotion to duty.
The Pearl Jubilee medal was awarded to all members of the BDF who have completed 30 years of honourable and continuous service.
Minister of Defence and Security, Mr Kagiso Mmusi awarded the Distinguished Service medal to commissioned officers who completed not less than 20 years of continuous service with good conduct.
The Long Service and Foreign Service medals were awarded by Ministers Kabo Morwaeng, Lemogang Kwape and Tumiso Rakgare as well as the Permanent Secretary to the President, Ms Emma Peloetletse.
The Long Service medal was awarded to any member of the other ranks within the BDF who had served with good conduct for a period of not less than 15 years.
The Foreign Service medal was awarded to any member of the BDF for honourable service outside the borders of Botswana on operational deployment, related foreign assignment of collective training for a period not less than two months.
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